Cable Story: Windom Cable Communications (Windom, MN)

"In our carriage talks, the broadcasters and programmers take advantage of the fact that we're a small government run system operator. They make take-it-or-leave-it offers, and coerce us into signing contracts with pages upon pages of complicated terms and conditions. Our city doesn't have the money to hire outside attorneys to help us, so we're left with little option but to sign these contracts which lead to our customers paying higher rates, and we certainly do not make any money."

A TV Market Reform Hometown story

A TV Market Reform Hometown story A TV Market Reform Hometown story A TV Market Reform Hometown story A TV Market Reform Hometown story A TV Market Reform Hometown story A TV Market Reform Hometown story A TV Market Reform Hometown story A TV Market Reform Hometown story A TV Market Reform Hometown story

Member Profile: Trust Communications (Jackson, MS)

"Year
after year, the broadcasters and programmers put pressure on our
company to add their affiliated networks to my basic programming
package resulting in a more bloated, costly tier with channels that my
customers neither want nor can afford. Most of our
Communication's customers in rural communities are satisfied receiving
only 65 channels as basic, especially those in low income areas - not
everyone wants to pay for 125 channels."

"Year
after year, the broadcasters and programmers put pressure on our
company to add their affiliated networks to my basic programming
package resulting in a more bloated, costly tier with channels that my
customers neither want nor can afford. Most of our
Communication's customers in rural communities are satisfied receiving
only 65 channels as basic, especially those in low income areas - not
everyone wants to pay for 125 channels."

With the upcoming round of retransmission consent negotiations, we know that we'll be forced to pay fees to broadcasters for the first time, and unfortunately our customers will have to foot the bill. As a small cable operator, programming is our already largest expense by far, and we simply cannot absorb any more increases in our carriage fees.

~David Shipley, Business Manager

Independent cable operators face unique challenges that require special consideration by the FCC in terms of how it deals with the digital television transition to ensure requirements do not impact the consumers or communities served - specifically, the digital must-carry requirements. Read More

In order for small cable operators to provide their customers with popular programming, large programmers often make them provide undesired programming on their most widely subscribed to tiers. Consumers pay the price for this abusive practice with higher cable rates and programming that is not aligned with their interests. Read More

When broadcasters abuse their market power to demand exorbitant fees from cable operators who want to offer their signals, consumers always pay the price. Broadcasters often discriminate against small and medium-sized cable operators, extracting retransmission consent fees at substantially higher per-subscriber rates than charged larger providers. Read More

ACA PAC

In order to protect the interests of independent cable operators, it is essential that members of Congress understand and respect the important role that ACA's more than 900 small and medium sized companies play in delivering communications services to more than 7 million households across the United States. Read More